Footwear actuated noise maker



Nov. 5, 1957 A. FARANDA FOOTWEAR ACTUATED NOISE MAKER Filed Oct. 31, 1956 INVENTOR WOW) fink/9N0,

ATTORNEY United rates Patent ce 1 2,811,811 FOOTWEAR ACTUATED NOISE MAKER Anthony Faranda, Yonkers, N. Y., assignor to McCann- Erickson Incorporated, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application October 31, 1956, Serial No. 619,455 1 Claim. (Cl. 46-175) The present invention relates to a noise making device of the percussion type and more particularly pertains to a disc and a clapper resiliently supported to engage the disc with hammer action and with the entire device adapted to be detachably secured to the lacings or other parts of a shoe so that the clapper engages the disc during steps in walking or strides in running to provide noise.

A device exhibiting the invention has utility for promoting the sale of rubber soled shoes for children. A child often dislikes rubber soled shoes for the reason that they do not make noise when the shoes engage a pavement or other firm surface. A noise making device embodying the invention includes a clip so that the device may be detachably secured to a shoe. The clip is designed so that it may be slipped over all or some of the laces of a shoe with a disc directed towards the toe. The arrangement is such that upon normal walking steps or running strides the clapper is activated to make noise and thereby promote the interest of children in wearing shoes with soles that do not make an audible sound in engaging firm or rigid surfaces.

An object of the device is to provide a noise making device of the character indicated which is activated by movements of the foot of a human being and wherein the sound making parts are set in motion by the resilient characteristics of the supports for the separate parts.

Another object of the invention is to provide a disc or pan element of noise making device supported by an arm which forms part of a clip for attachment of the disc to the shoe of an individual and wherein the arm also serves to support a flexible reed on which the clapper is carried in operative relationship for engaging the disc or pan.

Other objects and features of the invention will be appreciated and become apparent as the present disclosure proceeds and upon consideration of the following detailed description and the accompanying drawing wherein an embodiment of the invention is disclosed.

In the drawing:

Fig. l is a perspective view of a noise making device embodying the invention illustrating the manner in which it is attached to a shoe.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the device.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

The noise making device is of the percussion type and includes a disc formed of sheet material having the characteristic of providing audible sound when engaged in hammer blows by a clapper. The disc is desirably provided with a rim 11 which serves to reinforce the disc 19 and provides means for attachment of a supporting arm. The disc 10 may be formed of sheet metal or the like and the rim 11 may be integral with the disc so that this structure resembles a pan.

An arm 12 extends radially from the pan structure and is secured to the rim 11 so as to avoid impairing the sound making characteristics of the disc 10. The handle 1.2 may be welded or otherwise secured to the rim 11. The disc 10 and the rim 11 along with the handle .or arm 12 provide a structural element which resembles a skillet.

The arm 12 is bent at 14 to provide an end portion 16 arranged along and under the arm 12. The bend 14 imparts resilient characteristics to the end portion 16 which forms a clip in cooperation with the handle 12. The clip structure is so designed that it may he slipped over the 2,81 1,81 l Patented Nov. 5, 1957 laces of a shoe or other items of footwear as shown in Fig. 1. It will be observed that the disc 10 is disposed towards the toe of the shoe and the clip structure is so shaped that the skillet portion is supported above that portion of the shoe overlying the toes. The device functions satisfactorily to make noise even though the disc 10 lies on that portion of the shoe forward of the lacing. The handle 12 and the clip may be formed of sheet metal. The end portion 16 has resilient characteristics so that it may be biased away from the portion 17 of the handle when mounting the device on the shoe or detaching it therefrom.

The noise making device includes a clapper 18 formed of any suitable rigid material such as wood. The clapper 18 is mounted at the free end of a reed 19 which has flexing characteristics. The reed 19 may be formed of metal and the end remote of the clapper is attached to the handle 12 at the point or area 21. This end of the reed is securely attached to the handle and clip structure by welding or the like. The reed 19 is capable of assuming an original position with the clapper adjacent the disc 10.

In use the clip portion 16 is urged away from the portion 17 of the handle 12 and slipped over the lacings of a shoe so that the device assumes the position shown in Fig. 1. A child or other individual in the act of walking will cause the noise making device to be activated.

- The mass of the clapper 18 is so related to the flexible characteristics of the reed 19 that it moves away from the disc 10 during the movement of the shoe in performing a step. The reed 19 then returns the clapper 18 into impact engagement with the disc 10 and sets the disc in vibration and to provide noise. Such action is repeated upon movements of the shoe and the device of the character herein described may be attached to each shoe so that the noise is made by the movement of each foot in carrying out a walking or running step.

While the invention has been described with reference to specific structural features and with regard to one type of noise making device of the percussion type it will be appreciated that changes may be made in the structural characteristics and the manner in which the device is attached to a shoe. Such modifications and others may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claim.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A device activated by movement of footwear to make noise by impacts comprising, a pan-shaped member including a central resonant diaphragm having a rim forming the periphery thereof, an elongated strap shaped arm carried by and extending from said rim, a clip portion carried by a free end of said arm formed integral therewith and extending from said free end towards said panshaped member along the arm, an arcuate portion between the free end of the arm and the clip portion providing a resilient clip under the arm for engaging laces of a shoe to detachably support the pan-shaped member over a toe portion of the shoe, a flexible reed secured to said arm in the vicinity of said free end and extending therefrom to a position overlying the pan-shaped member, a clapper carried by a free end of said reed adapted to engage a central portion of said diaphragm, and the mass of said clapper in relation to the flexibility of the reed being such that the clapper is activated for impact engagements with said resonant diaphragm upon movement of the shoe in a walking or running step.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 621,892 Azzimonti Mar. 28, 1899 823,713 Chein July 19, 1906 2,502,393 Sladek et al Mar. 28, 1950 

